Ombudsman Releases New Survey

The release of a new healthcare report calling for NHS trusts to improve their response to patient complaints has been welcomed by a medical negligence lawyer.

Lisa Jordan of Irwin Mitchell commented after a study by health service ombudsman Ann Abraham examined over 15,000 complaints about the NHS and revealed that more issues were raised about hospital trusts than any other group.

It also revealed that 63 per cent of all complaints investigated by the ombudsman - who is the next port of call for patients if they are unhappy with the response from the relevant trust - were either partly or fully upheld.

Discussing the findings, Lisa Jordan, who has a wealth of experience of dealing with cases of clinical negligence, said it was time for the NHS to learn its lessons.

She explained: “The number of people who are approaching the ombudsman with serious concerns highlights the fact that NHS Trusts have plenty to consider in relation to how they react to complaints.

“Feedback from patients could play a key role in helping NHS trusts to not only improve the quality of service they offer, but also in reducing the number of avoidable errors which occur annually.

“I hope that trusts take the findings of this research on board and ensure that they fully acknowledge the continuing importance of patient safety.”

If you or a loved one has suffered as a result of medical negligence, we may be able to help you claim compensation. See our Medical Negligence Guide for more information.